Deuteronomy 25:2

If the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall have him lie down and be flogged in his presence with the number of lashes his crime warrants.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelite assembly on the plains of Moab, establishing court procedure for resolving civil disputes. The judge oversees the physical punishment of a convicted offender to enforce legal accountability.

The words — הַכּ֖וֹת (ha.Kot) translates literally as "striking," and הָ/רָשָׁ֑ע (ha./ra.Sha') means "the guilty [one]." These terms anchor the verse's command to a measured physical penalty for the condemned.

The thread — The motif of judicial or divine striking appears in Matthew 10:17, Matthew 27:26, and Luke 12:47 to describe physical punishment administered by human authorities or God. These passages extend the Deuteronomy framework from national legal procedure to ecclesial discipline and divine judgment.

Why it lands — The text requires proportional punishment administered under judicial supervision rather than private vengeance. A reader must apply measured accountability in conflict resolution, ensuring penalties match the offense without excess.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהָיָ֛הve./ha.Yahand/ it will be אִם־'im-if בִּ֥ןbin[is] a son of הַכּ֖וֹתha.Kotstriking הָרָשָׁ֑עha./ra.Sha'the/ guilty [one]וְהִפִּיל֤וֹve./hi.pi.L/oand/ he will make lie down/ him הַשֹּׁפֵט֙ha./sho.Fetthe/ judge וְהִכָּ֣הוּve./hi.Ka.h/uand/ someone will strike/ him לְפָנָ֔יוle./fa.Na/v<to>/ before/ him כְּדֵ֥יke./Deiaccording to/ [the] sufficiency of רִשְׁעָת֖וֹrish.'a.T/owickedness/ his בְּמִסְפָּֽר׃be./mis.Parby/ number

King James Version

And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.

Cross-references

Luke 12:47 That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows.
Matthew 10:17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.
Matthew 27:26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
Acts 5:40 At this, they yielded to Gamaliel. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.
Acts 16:22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods.
1 Peter 2:20 How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
1 Peter 2:24 He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”